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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BERLIN 001559 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PAPD, EUR/PPA, EUR/CE, INR/EUC, INR/P, 
SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/DSAA, DIA FOR DC-4A 
 
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"PERISHABLE INFORMATION -- DO NOT SERVICE" 
 
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TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO KGHG IR AF GM US TU
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: COP15, German Strategy on Afghanistan, 
Iranian Protests, US-Turkish Relations;BERLIN 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   Climate Change Conference 
¶3.   Afghanistan 
¶4.   Iranian Protests 
¶5.   U.S.-Turkish Relations 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories 
 
ZDF-TV's and ARD-TV's primetime newscasts opened with stories on the 
beginning of the Copenhagen climate summit.  Most newspapers led 
with stories on the German governmentQs plan to compensate the 
victims of the September 4 airstrikes.  Frankfurter Allgemeine led 
with the headline: QClashes in Tehran again,Q and a few papers led 
with the probe of the LBBW bank.  Editorials focused on the 
compensation of Afghan victims. 
 
¶2.   Climate Change Conference 
 
EPA decision on carbon dioxide 
 
Spiegel Online led with the headline QObama has a free hand in 
climate protection,Q highlighting in its introduction: QIt is a 
positive signal in the fight against global warming: at the 
beginning of the Copenhagen UN summit, the U.S. environmental agency 
declared greenhouse gases as dangerous.  With that, President Obama 
can push through climate protection measures against the opposition 
of the Congress.Q ARD-TVQs Tagesschau newscast noted this morning: 
QIt is clear that with this decision President Obama is coming to 
Copenhagen in a stronger position. 
 
ARD-TVQs Tagesthemen late-night newscast remarked: QWe must now stop 
carelessly destroying our planet as if we had another one at our 
disposal.  We must give way to reason in Copenhagen.  Otherwise it 
will wind up in history books as the summit of shame if the world 
continues to be so unfocused, government representatives only make 
half-hearted decisions to restrict global warming, economic 
interests outweigh environmental protection, and cynical lobbyists 
water down what scientists demand  We in the rich countries know 
for sure that we cannot go on like this if we want to leave a world 
to our children they can live in....  There is no alternative to a 
drastic reduction of carbon dioxide.  This is a conviction 
Washington now also believes in: after the EPA decision, Obama will 
not come to Copenhagen with empty hands.  The U.S. President could 
now commit the U.S. to binding climate goals without the approval of 
the Congress and create a Marshall Plan for our earth.  This is 
maybe the best news of the day. 
 
Handelsblatt editorialized: QThe U.S. is becoming greener, but the 
Congress does not realize it.  Companies are preparing themselves 
for the new guidelines on climate policy  With a new initiative, 
California wants to increase the pressure on politicians because, 
also under President Obama, the mills in the Congress grind slowly. 
 
 
Poor vs. rich countries 
 
Norddeutscher Rundfunk radio opined: QAt the end, the greatest rift 
will not be between the U.S., China and the Europeans, but between 
the poor and the rich.  The developing countries want money to deal 
better with the consequences of climate changeQand they want 
prosperity and health through clean technologies.  They have made 
clear in previous conferences that if they do not get what they 
want, then they would not commit themselves to any agreement.  They 
are very bitter.  It could be that those who suffer most from 
climate change will be the ones who block the international fight 
against it. 
 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung editorialized: QThe global climate change 
 
BERLIN 00001559  002 OF 003 
 
 
deteriorates the fight over water and pastures and becomes dangerous 
in areas where there is a shortage of resources Any additional 
degree will intensify the struggle for recourses on the African 
continent and will stir up new wars.  A bold move in Copenhagen 
would therefore also be a true peace agreement. 
 
Deutschlandfunk radio commented: QIndustrial countries should know 
why it is necessary to increase their cooperation with the countries 
in the south.  The prospect of palm trees along the river Rhine 
might be attractive.  However, nobody should believe that Germany 
would be untouched when millions of Bangladeshis must flee because 
their country is basically drowning  The term climate justice would 
mean that every person in the world is granted the same amount of 
carbon dioxide emissions.  Negotiators are not there yet.  A 
farewell to the fossil age is overdue.  LetQs see Copenhagen as a 
chance for a structural change that makes sense. 
 
Pershing Profile 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine profiled U.S. chief negotiator Jonathan 
Pershing, noting that he has been involved in climate protection for 
decades.  The paper said he started his career as a geophysicist 
looking for oil deposits in Alaska, and surmised that that 
experience motivated him to engage on climate change Qwhile 
retaining an ability to avoid the widespread anti-business sentiment 
within the movement.Q  It noted PershingQs academic career and his 
role on environmental policy in the Clinton administration as the 
assistant deputy negotiator for the Kyoto agreement and reported 
further on PershingQs duty as head of the energy and environment 
division at the International Energy Agency.  Noting the 
retrenchment of environmental issues to Qthink tanks on the east and 
west coasts,Q FAZ commented favorably that Pershing remained engaged 
by serving as an advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger during 
negotiations on the Inter-American emissions trading program, and 
finally worked to develop of the emissions trading platform at the 
Chicago Climate Exchange.  QThe late compliance of the American 
President, who will now attend the final stage of the negotiations 
in Copenhagen, may also have been due to PershingQs influence,Q the 
paper noted. 
 
¶3.   Afghanistan 
 
Apart from Handelsblatt, German editorials and reports on 
Afghanistan almost exclusively focused on the German governmentQs 
plans to compensate the victims of the September 4 airstrikes. 
 
Handelsblatt editorialized: QHow often do we have to reinvent the 
world?  This is the question that comes up when you track the German 
policy on Afghanistan.  All experts have been agreeing for months on 
the necessary international action to be taken in Afghanistan: more 
support in developing the infrastructure as well as training the 
Afghan police and military forces, in addition to a stronger 
military security to push through the power of the Afghan government 
across the country against the Taliban, who are becoming stronger. 
It is therefore all the more remarkable that the German government 
is now going its own way.  While most NATO partners have quickly 
defined their own additional contribution, the German government 
acts as if it must think about a completely new situation.  Only at 
the end of January will Berlin make a decision about any additional 
assistance. 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine commented: QIt is good that Germany will 
offer the victims of the combat mission compensation payments.  This 
was done so in the past, and Americans and the British do this as 
well.  By making compensation payments, the German government does 
not make any statement about the legitimacy of military actions, but 
it makes clear that it is in the country and fights there for the 
sake of the people. 
 
BERLIN 00001559  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
A front-page editorial in Die Welt noted: QThe relatives of the 
civilian causalities of the airstrike near Kunduz will get money. 
Berlin is taking up the practice of the U.S. of setting a signal of 
good will in cases of collateral damage, as far as this is possible. 
 The German government, however, did not only regret the civilian 
victims but also redefined the strikes of six weeks ago as 
militarily inappropriate and unjustified.  This new assessment 
remains mysterious. 
 
¶4.    Iranian Protests 
 
Many German media reported on the new clashes in Iran.  Die Welt 
carried a large front-page photo of protesters with green masks 
under the headline QThe brave of Tehran,Q noting that Qthe 
opposition in Iran has the courage again to protest against the 
regime.Q  An editorial in Die Welt noted: QThe regime in Tehran that 
is seeking to become a regional power in the Middle East by its 
nuclear armament is fighting a war at home against its young 
people.  Apart from the plain power, the regime has nothing to 
lose. 
 
Under the headline QDauntless,Q Frankfurter Allgemeine 
editorialized: QThe severe riots last June when thousands of 
Iranians protested against the questionable re-election of President 
Ahmadinejad did not frighten off the opposition  It is increasingly 
clear that the gradual degeneration of the Islamic Republic into a 
military dictatorship cannot prevent the supporters of the 
opposition from expressing their dissatisfaction on the streets. 
Due to the ban of journalists it is difficult to get an idea of how 
powerful the resistance is.  However, what news that does get out of 
the country confirms the conviction that Iran is facing difficult 
times next year.   Attempts to heal the Qpolitical stubbornness 
will not succeed.  On June 12, Iran became a different country. 
 
¶5.    U.S.-Turkish Relations 
 
Under the headline QU.S.-Turkish Dissonances,Q Berliner Zeitung 
analyzed: QUnlike during the times of the Cold War, Ankara and 
Washington are no longer in the same boat.  On the contrary, in the 
region, both powers continuously get in each others' way The worst 
case is that of Iran.  The U.S. wants to isolate the rebellious 
regime and prepare for a tougher UN embargo.  But Erdogan does not 
really want to talk about it.  However, even if Turkey is stubborn 
in the case of Iran and relatively steadfast in refusing to send 
more troops to Afghanistan, it remains an indispensible partner for 
the Americans. 
 
 
 
MURPHY